Case Studies

Purpose and Objectives

Research among the membership of SELCO Community Credit Union has shown that the use of mobile devices to access the credit union’s website and online banking system has significantly increased. By developing an elegant, user-friendly mobile website, SELCO is expecting to stay at the forefront of digital banking. Currently, very few other financial institutions­, including multi-billion dollar banking corporations offer dedicated mobile websites. Making mobile banking easier was the main objective when developing the website.

My Role in the Project

My role in the development of the SELCO mobile website was to design the user interface and make recommendations on site navigation. After obtaining the size specifications, CSS requirements and site structure from our web development team, I began to lay out initial wire frame designs. Adhering to industry best practices as well as creating a design that embodied the SELCO brand and culture were priorities throughout the process. Through extensive beta testing and user feedback, I then refined the design in preparation for final implementation. Visual mock-ups as well as detailed design notes were provided to the web development team for final production.

Project Outcome and Effectiveness

The new SELCO mobile website is still currently in the production phase. The site is expected to launch by late summer of 2014. So far, the response has been very positive. Beta testing has also shown that the site is very intuitive, easy to use and has improved the user experience significantly. We are also currently in the early stages of redesigning our online banking app due to the great response we’ve already received from the mobile website.

Purpose and Objectives

SELCO Community Credit Union’s website is the first place many members and potential members go to research SELCO as a financial partner. As SELCO has grown and ventured into new markets, having a clean, informative, and easy-to-navigate website is crucial in supporting marketplace expansion opportunities. The previous site had been built on an aging platform that was cumbersome to maintain and difficult to expand upon. Therefore, SELCO embarked on a comprehensive redesign of its public-facing selco.org website. The new site would allow for greater flexibility, consistency across multiple devices, and the integration of social media.

My Role in the Project

The redesign of the selco.org website was an immense project that required several months to complete. My team worked with several vendors throughout the process including a web development company, an online banking systems provider, and a creative agency. My role in the project was to work directly with the creative agency and web development teams in designing a new interface for the site. I personally designed the look of the home page and the style elements that appear throughout subsequent pages of the site. Having a solid understanding of web design and CSS limitations, I was able to create a page layout that is engaging and highly flexible.

Project Outcome and Effectiveness

After several weeks of beta testing, the new selco.org site was launched with much anticipation! The new site was a drastic change and as expected, it took some time for members to get familiar with the new layout and functionality. The response was very positive though and visitors were pleased with the ease of accessibility the new site offered as well as the simplified, clean design. The design that I established for the selco.org website also became the framework upon which future SELCO web applications would be modeled after.

Purpose and Objectives

Financial programs tailored specifically for the teenage demographic are a great way to introduce young adults to financial services like savings accounts, checking accounts, and credit cards. They also provide an opportunity to develop lifelong credit union members as well as instill responsible money management skills from an early age. In 2012, SELCO Community Credit Union sought to rebrand its teen program with the objective of creating a product that was not only appealing to young adults, but also engaging and useful. The rebrand included restructuring the teen program itself, in addition to developing a new logotype, print collateral, and online elements.

My Role in the Project

As the graphic designer, I was charged with taking the lead on all visual rebranding requirements. I started by enlisting the help of a marketing intern from the University of Oregon. He was able to provide me with valuable insight from a perspective closely aligned with our target demographic. He was also able to route initial concepts, color schemes, and images through his peers for further critique and feedback. Once an overall color palette was established, I developed an energetic logo that evokes a sense of security and technological aptitude. I also redesigned the Teen Vault Account brochure, membership account identification card, community print advertisements, in-branch signage, and online and mobile graphics.

Project Outcome and Effectiveness

The rebranding of the Teen Vault Account was very successful. Over the past two years, SELCO has seen a steady increase in new teen account openings coupled with an increased following by young adults through various social media channels.

Purpose and Objectives

For several years, SELCO Community Credit Union had a children’s savings account program that was based on an eccentric cartoon scientist by the name of “Professor Coindexter.” While the theme and visual elements of the program were acceptable, there was a major drawback. It was a program offered by a third-party. Not only was this limiting in the scope of marketing materials that were available, it was also a hindrance from a compliance perspective. All promotional materials used by the credit union needed to be approved by the developers of the Coindexter program. SELCO decided to bring the children’s savings account program entirely in-house. A new program was developed from scratch along with a new theme and visual elements.

My Role in the Project

I was tasked with creating a new name and theme for the program. I conducted extensive research on competing credit unions to ensure SELCO’s program would be unique. I also created a survey that was utilized at the Lane County Fair. Our marketing team interviewed children and presented them with different options and potential theme ideas for our new program. The overwhelming response lead me to create the Safari Savers Kids’ Club. I designed a new logo with bright colors and jungle elements, with customized cartoon explorers and quirky jungle animals to round out the overall theme. I created brochures, savings account passbooks, membership account identification cards, flyers, digital signage, web graphics, as well as in-branch posters and display graphics.

Project Outcome and Effectiveness
The Safari Savers Kids’ Club was an instant hit with parents and children alike. It has been very rewarding to see children get excited about opening their first savings account. The new program has also saved the credit union licensing fees and administration costs allowing those savings to be passed on to members and future Safari Savers.

Purpose and Objectives

SELCO Community Credit Union utilizes a network of digital signage displays to distribute media in real time throughout all of its branch locations. The high definition displays are located in highly visible areas within branch lobbies and provide members with important information such as branch closure dates, fraud alerts, and messaging that is region-specific. The displays also serve as an additional marketing channel for the credit union and provide for an opportunity to present engaging animated content to members while waiting for teller service.

My Role in the Project

As the graphic designer at SELCO, it is my responsibility to create all digital signage displayed within the branches. The content that I generate ranges from brief updates and time sensitive notifications to in-depth campaign creative and promotions. I utilize Adobe Creative Cloud and specifically, Adobe After Effects to create high definition motion graphics that are visually engaging to all age groups. While the desire is always to create entertaining and fun motion graphics, a close adherence to the style and branding of the credit union must be maintained at all times.

Project Outcome and Effectiveness

Before I joined the marketing team at SELCO, digital signage content was created by a non-designer using a simple, template-based system. The messages were generic in nature and were mainly static. Since I began creating custom graphics for the digital signage displays, viewer engagement has increased and feedback from branch staff and members has been very favorable. We have even reduced the amount of general content being displayed, such as news clips and weather reports in favor of running more custom branded messaging.